Of course if you don't appreciate my posts you could always just ignore them. To be honest in this case since you yourself don't seem to be adding much to the discussion I'm not really pay much attention to your own posts.

I'm not denying that Suarez may very well have tried to get under Evra's skin, it’s not an uncommon tactic for many players. Although I don't think Suarez has the best English yet, although can't comment on how good his French is, or for that matter how much command of the Spanish language Evra has.

There also may well have been a number of intimate moments (not sure I'd have used those words) between them, but at least 10 maybe high. Also it seems a little strange that a left back would be assigned to stick to Suarez who played as the lone striker. I would have thought that more the role of one of the center backs, although I think united usually deploy a zonal rather than man marking system in open play. But, if that is the case its surprising we did not get more joy from Kuyt and Kelly going down that side of the pitch if Evra was spending so much intimate time with Suarez. Seems to me we got our best play actually going down the opposite side with Downing and Enrique.

But back to the point, I do get your point that it’s possible that Suarez did say something he should not have to Evra. However I just don't see it as being significantly more probable that Evra made up an excuse for what looked like a frustrating day for him. I'm not sure he thought it through as I doubt he intended to label a fellow player (even one he may not like too much) as a racist, but now the story is out there he's got more to lose from backing down than sticking to his guns.

I'm not saying that is what happened just that imo a player making excuses for a poor day is just as plausible as another going too far in trying to wind up an opponent.

I'm not approaching this on the basis of I think Evra is honest and I think Suarez is dishonest therefore I believe Evra. I don't have any prior opinion of either over the other. I have in the past criticised Evra and I have had my doubts about Suarez. I have neither good knowledge nor strong opinions of their personal honesty.

It's more the nature of the event that causes me to side with Evra. I think it very unlikely that a professional footballer having a successful career at a top club would make up an unfounded accusation about another professional footballer. There is almost nothing to gain and a great deal to lose in doing so. That seems far less likely than a professional top-flight footballer would do to another professional top-flight footballer what in cricket is commonly known as sledging.

As for the the probability of multiple insults without anyone else hearing, yes, that's quite possible. The film of the two shows some pretty intimate moments. Evra's job was to stick to Suarez. If Suarez was trying to needle Evra in the alleged way he could very easily do it without anyone else hearing.

If Evra went to the press before the match official then yes I do think that is more significant that if he went to the ref or other official before telling French TV his accusation. But I might point out the order of these events we still don't know. However the fact he did not report the multiple barbs when they actually happened to the official on hand, but waited until after the game was over I think is more significant than the order he told his story after the fact. It just seems a little implausible that if this really did upset him as much as he claimed after fact, he did not tell someone, the ref, his teammates, his bench, someone. I mean we are not talking about someone who is the strong silent type here.

Your right people don't usually shouting fire in a theatre which s why we normally listen to someone when they do. However as you've based much of your opinion on your assessment of character, when you look at footballers as a whole, but not necessarily Evra or Suarez individually, do you think of them as being an honest group?

I assume from your post here, while you may not classify all footballers as probable pork pie tellers, I suspect you have your doubts about some of them. Therefore is it not plausible that Evra could himself be less than honest in this whole affair? And, the longer this goes on does he not have more to lose if he does not stick to his original story of multiple racist barbs aimed at him.

Just a side note for those who've played competitive football at almost any level, I'm sure they've heard many things said on the pitch. Some leveled at them some aimed at their team mates. So is it really plausible that some one could repeat the same insult at least 10 times without anyone else hearing it? It maybe possible, but not really sure it’s probable.

Steve, I'm in no way defending Downing here. The replay clearly showed he dived after he had lost the ball, and I cannot defend that at all.

However the point was made not that Evra showed extreme bad sportsmanship by brandishing the invisible card, on which I agree with you, (although the extreme complaint may have saved Downing a booking), but as evidence that Evra has never been shy in letting the ref know his every complaint. However, despite him telling the French press the alleged words by Suarez were very upsetting, for some reason he kept his mouth shut on the issue during the game.

At the end of the day I do agree it’s highly unlikely we'll get any resolution either way. Without credible witnesses beyond Evra, who I would have assumed would have stepped forward by now if they existed, its going to be hard for him to prove what Suarez said, if he sad anything. But additionally it is all but impossible for Suarez to prove a negative if as he claims he is completely innocent.

If the allegation is true do hope Suarez would get a harsh punishment as I do think racial taunts is well over the line, however if the allegation was used as an excuse to make up for a poor outing by Evra (which I don't know to be true but just offer as a possible explanation) its a little sad as an accusation left unproven will hang out there as a stain on what might be an innocent mans reputation. We are not talking about one player calling another a poor sportsman, but instead labeling him as a racist.

"Did you look away from the TV set when he ran up to Mariner in the first half brandishing an invisible card after a challenge with Downing?"

You mean after Downings dive? Deserving of a booking, however I do detest the waving of imaginary cards by players. Its the refs job to decide whether a player deserves a caution, not anyone elses.

As to the racism allegations, i'm expecting to see this end without any conclusive proof either way. Only the two players themselves will probably ever know if anything was said and what exactly that was.